Judas Priest Reigned Firepower in the Red Stick
Baton Rouge Concert Review
BY TREY MERRILL | trey@tworoaddogs.com
November 18, 2022
Raising Cain’s River Center
Baton Rouge, LA
Judas Priest, the juggernauts of hard rock, returned to Baton Rouge after a 38 year hiatus. They brought with them “50 years of Heavy Metal” and their award statue from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It was a 25 year showdown they conquered with a loyal legion of followers, respect from other musical icons and their Musical Excellence. They lost some warriors along the way. KK Downing quit in 2011 and former drummer Dave Holland died in 2018. Glenn Tipton is still an official member however Parkinson’s Disease prevents him from touring. Both KK and Glenn showed up at the induction to take the stage with their early 70s drummer Les Banks. It was the first time the band used 7 members and two drummers on stage in their history. Hardcore fan were estatic because a united band was what everyone wanted.
The ‘83 World Vengeance and ‘84 Metal Conquerors tours both rolled through the Baton Rouge Centroplex. It was era of MTV and Judas Priest was on the move and in heavy rotation. The Centroplex may have changed its name to the Raising Cane’s River Center but the nostalgic memories remain. Judas Priest has gone through changes as well with a succession of members, both Hall of Fame inductees and others. 53 years is an eternity for any band and while it can be debated who coined the term “heavy metal” there’s no doubt Judas Priest set the image. They also brought the head-banging.
Judas Priest join Black Sabbath and Metallica as the only true “heavy metal” acts to pierce the political armor of the Hall of Fame. Vocalist Rob Halford and company have been able to survive by consistently touring the world. They have also put out 18 studio albums, 6 live albums, 29 singles and 21 music videos.
Their 2022 appearance on the mighty Mississippi River came as a shock. Historically Baton Rouge was a major concert destination visited by such rock luminaries such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, The Who, Judas Priest and others. It hasn’t seen a steady stream of shows since the early 80s. SeatGeek rates it 11th in fewest concerts per capital and they now only get about 1.6 major tours per year. (Editors note: In the 80s, former Mayor Ossie Brown and Evangelist Jimmy Swaggart caused so much drama with concerts by Ozzy Osbourne and AC/DC that most promoters pulled out and a once-thriving concert city was dealt a death knell from which it’s never recovered).
The show opened with the house lights dimming to a pre-recorded tape of “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath. Both bands share the same hometown of Birmingham, England. The crowd roared and jumped to their feet when a recording of Judas Priest “The Hellion cranked up the volume. Bathed in red with white flashing beams of light, the bands large “Devil’s Tuning Fork” logo descended from the grid. With thousands of pumping fists, the band took their places on stage before kicking into “Electric Eye”. This big brothers watching you song off of Screaming for Vengeance set the pace and the band were roaring. Screamin’ is an album they’d return to often throughout the night.
As lights flooded the stage, the audience fixated on an industrial stage design featuring steel mills and iron factories. It was a salute to the bands working class upbringings. It also reflected a skyline just outside punctuated by chemical plants and toxic fumes along the river. The band brought the stage, lights, smoke, action, rumble and simulated flames to a city that could more than relate. According to Halford on UntimateClassicRock.com, “It’s Judas Priest Metalworks, where the metal is made”.
Like a freight train, Judas Priest chugged along with a driving force, pulsating and loud. They continued down the rails ripping through more of the Screaming for Vengeance songbook with “Riding on the Wind” and one of their biggest hits “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming”. This played out on a video wall showing billowing smoke stacks, factories and workers. Their engine is one of the strongest and tightest rhythm sections in heavy metal history. While it seems most contemporary metal bands focus only speed and chops this was not the case with Judas Priest. These guys brought the entire train.
At 71, Halford has an awesome set of pipes. Like a banshee in heat, he let loose with his first high pitched wail of the evening during “Jawbreaker”. His register may not be what it once was but he is still the Mount Rushmore of heavy metal. His lyrics were understandable in what would normally be an echo chamber. Their audio engineer had the hall sounding great for an arena. The only time I had seen Halford before was when his solo band Fight open for Metallica in Houston (1994). While outdoor shows usually have clearer sound, his vocals 28 years later in the arena was significantly cleaner as was the sound of the entire band.
Two songs off Firepower, their first album in 30 years followed in a one-two punch. The title track followed by the debut of “Never the Heroes”. Guitarist Andy Sneap, the albums co-producer is the secret ingredient in refreshening the Judas Priest sound. “Never the Hero” is a song that could have easily been a hit if heavy metal still rule the airwaves. It’s a powerful song about those who weren’t meant to be heroes. They become heroes due to their actions and sacrifices while serving their patriotic duty.
I’m disappointed in never having seen Downing and Tipton however the dueling guitar work of Sneap and Richie Faulkner lit me up. Their Flying V guitar work boondoggled the old man. It’s hard to imagine Halford ever toyed with the idea of ditching Sneap and turning Priest into a 4 piece. Thankfully the fans rebelled. These masters of the Flying V have earned their rightful places on stage and their performances are as exciting as their guitar work.
“Beyond the Realms of Death” followed which is one of Halford’s most personal songs. His reflection is of someone who enters an apathetic state and finally dies, most likely by their own hand. The song came about in 1978 when Halford was a closeted gay man in the very heterosexual world of heavy metal. At that time he couldn’t talk openly and freely to other gays without a stigma and it caused a great amount of internal conflict. (Editors note: Rob Halford came out of the closet in 1998, found a ton of support and now preaches a message of inclusion).
A rocking “Judas Rising” and “Devil’s Child”, the fifth song of the night from Screaming for Vengeance followed. Whatever animosity Downing and Tipton had for one another doesn’t seem to exist between Sneap and Faulkner. Each guitarists commands the spotlight during his solo then steps back to harmonically interweave guitar parts to complement the other. Their interplay is fun to watch as these guys have perfected the routine with expertise. With Faulkner’s rock star looks and high energy, it’s hard not to take your eyes off him. An aortic aneurysm nearly killed him on stage last year and he needed open heart surgery before continuing the tour. His on-stage energy is infectious.
The band brushed 40 year old cobwebs off “Genocide” followed by “Steeler” followed which became a high point of the evening. This British Steel classic surprised me and amidst swirling beams of purple and white light I became a believer. I was banging on the church doors by the end of the song. They could have sacrificed me “Between the Hammer & the Anvil” on a simulated flaming stage. This continued with religious videography when the Metal God brought us into the “Halls of Valhalla”. Valhalla is a giant hall in Norse mythology where the souls of slain warriors are taken by the Valkyries. A heaven where souls are taken and ruled over by the God Odin, safe from never being harmed. We were there!
In a Viking style call-and-response, Halford sang a communion with his followers. This gave his band time to breathe. The audience sang it back in a colossal wave of voices and then the stage turned green. Another roar came as Judas Priest ripped into fan favorite the “Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown”, a Fleetwood Mac cover. This is the song that introduced me to Judas Priest when I was a young, teenage drummer.
While Scott Travis may not be an original member, he’s been pounding their skins since 1989. That’s long enough to make it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame himself. Travis’s stylings and flash found him tossing his stick high in the air while staying in the pocket. He brings a high level of energy to the band he’s been known for since his days in Racer X and later on the reformed Thin Lizzy). Occasionally mistaken for left-handed, Travis is actually ambidextrous and plays with an open style so it’s hard not to keep your eyes off of his performance.
Judas Priest closed out the main set with the title track (and 6th song) from Screaming for Vengeance. According to bassist Ian Hill, Screaming and Defenders of the Faith were the pinnacles of the bands success. Most stagnant bassist tend to get overlooked but this 71 year old is anything but dull. When it comes to showmanship, Hill is like a fine wine and only gotten better with age. He seems to be having more fun these days and acknowledges that he’s in the twilight of a long and successful career.
As I looked over the audience, I couldn’t help but notice college age kids giving each other bear hugs and I harkened back to my own youth. There were also a contingent of younger teens in Judas Priest t-shirts looking up at their dads with grins and disbelief of what they had just witnessed. Many of their peers would have no clue but the old-timers in the crowd sure did. We also knew what was about to unfold and with that the lights went out and the PA roared to life with the deep revving sounds of a Harley Davidson.
The obligatory final scene unfolded as Halford rode out of the smoke, riding crop in his teeth, for the first song of a 3 song encore. Halford burst into “Hell Bent for Leather” while seated on the bike and while a video montage of street riots played out they played “Breaking the Law”. During a thunderous applause, the audience was surprised when a huge inflatable bull with glowing red eyes made its way through the smoke and took up half the stage. The band closed out the evening with one of their most popular early hits “Living After Midnight”. It was an awesome head-banging event that left this old man worn out but hella worth my own 44 year wait.
Extra Thoughts:
- I regret missing Judas Priest at The Asylum, a small club in Slidell, LA during their 2002 tour. At the time, Rob Halford had been replaced by Tim “Ripper” Owen’s. I’m glad I caught Judas Priest for my first time with Halford back in control (although I did miss seeing KK & Glenn).
- Judas Priest changes to their setlist every night. I missed hearing “Diamonds and Rust”, the remake of Joan Baez’s love song to Bob Dylan but I was far from disappointed in the show.
- I brought LT who’s NOT fan of heavy metal but she really enjoyed the show…..although I doubt she’ll rush out and buy the album. Whew! What a trooper. Happy Wife/Happy Life!
- I was a fan Judas Priest when I was in my late teens (Killing Machine/British Steel/Unleashed/Screaming) and then moved on….possibly because I never saw them live. The “50 Years of Heavy Metal” tour left me a bigger fan than ever and has renewed my interest in digging through their entire catalog.
SETLIST
| War Pigs by Black Sabbath (Pre-Recorded Tape) | 1970 Paranoid |
| The Hellion (Pre-Recorded Tape) | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
| 01) Electric Eye | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
| 02) Riding on the Wind | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
| 03) You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
| 04) Jawbreaker | 1984 Defenders of the Faith |
| 05) Firepower | 2018 Firepower |
| 06) Never the Heroes | 2018 Firepower |
| 07) Beyond the Realms of Death | 1978 Stained Class |
| 08) Judas Rising | 2005 Angel of Retribution |
| 09) Devil’s Child | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
| 10) Genocide | 1976 Sad Wings of Destiny |
| 11) Steeler | 1980 British Steel |
| 12) Between the Hammer and the Anvil | 1990 Painkiller |
| 13) Halls of Valhalla | 2014 Redeemer of Souls |
| 14) The Green Manalishi (with the Two Prong Crown) *Fleetwood Mac cover | 1978 Killing Machine |
| 15) Screaming for Vengeance | 1982 Screaming for Vengeance |
ENCORE
| 16) Hell Bent for Leather | 1978 Killing Machine |
| 17) Breaking the Law | 1980 British Steel |
| 18) Living After Midnight | 1980 British Steel |
QUEENSRYCHE DISAPPOINTS
Reformed Seattle rockers chose not to play their hits
I was excited to learn Queensryche would be supporting Judas Priest on this tour but I ‘m finding it difficult to write a fair review. My audio instructor in the early 90’s (Art Institute of Seattle) had been one of their front of house engineers so I was pre-destined to be a fan. Operation: Mindcrime (1988) and Empire (1990) are brilliant albums and while I’ve already seen them twice their headlining status in arenas is very far behind them.
I saw Queensryche during their Hits and Rarities Tour (2008) and they were amazing. In 2014 there was a split between Tate and the rest of the group and for a while two versions toured using the Queensryche name. No one knew which entity would eventually acquire the “legal name”. I caught Geoff Tate’s version of Queensryche at the New Orleans House of Blues on their 25th Anniversary of Operation Mindcrime. I have to admit that Tate’s version was better than when I saw him with the original group. In my humble opinion, the loss of Tate meant the loss of charisma, presentation and songs.
I can’t stand when a band dials it in and simply performs a “greatest hits” show. While I enjoy a band touring their new material and hearing deep cuts most fair-weather fans will settle for only the hits. Queensryche hardly played any hits thought and that was a hard pill to swallow. While I can’t stand their biggest hit “Silent Lucidity” I don’t understand why they didn’t play it. They also didn’t play “Jet City Woman”, “Best I Can”, “Revolution Calling”, “I Don’t Believe in Love”, “Spreading the Disease” or “Another Rainy Night (Without You)”. What a huge disappointment and a way to loose fans.
I spent so much time being disappointed that I had a hard time enjoying the show. Not only was Tate gone but so was drummer Scott Rockenfield and principal songwriter and guitarist Chris Degarmo. While they might have been reinventing themselves in a club this was an arena and “for me” it just didn’t work. In all fairness, it seemed to work for others including my partner, friends and fans. The skeletal remains of the band include guitarist Michael Wilton and bassist Eddie Jackson and Todd La Torre, a competent vocalist who has been with the band since 2012. Rounding out the band are guitarist Mike Stone and drummer Casey Grillo. Would I go see them again? Sure if they were at a festival or bar but not if I had to fork out any money.
SETLIST
| 01) Queen of the Reich | 1983 Queensryche EP ( 4 songs) |
| 02) Warning | 1984 The Warning |
| 03) En Force | 1984 The Warning |
| 04) Behind the Walls | 2022 Digital Noise Alliance |
| 05) Empire | 1990 Empire |
| 06) Operation: Mindcrime | 1988 Operation: Mindcrime |
| 07) Screaming in Digital | 1986 Rage for Order |
| 08) Eyes of a Stranger | 1988 Operation: Mindcrime |